June is National Oceans Month, and a great reminder that America has an opportunity to harness the vast resources of our oceans to feed our communities fresh, local seafood. Farming, or the raising and rearing of fish and other plant life in the ocean, has been a tested means to yield crops of sustainable protein for decades. Today’s modern aquaculture is clean, regenerative and efficiently managed. The siting of the farms is carefully considered. Water pumps, artificial intelligence and machine learning allow for monitoring and measurement of the livestock’s health.
Farmed fish already feeds the world, including Americans, and more than half of the seafood we eat comes from farms. Yet, the U.S. imports up to 85% of the seafood we consume. U.S. food producers are not able to raise fish in federal waters because of complex, confusing regulations that hinder new permits. We are missing significant opportunities by outsourcing food production, including local jobs and local food.
A new poll found that 87% of voters stated it’s important to expand American seafood production when learning that doubling U.S. aquaculture production could create 50,000 jobs. The Echelon Insights poll of 1,020 voters from May 20-23 also found that 85% support American aquaculture when they learned it’s a sustainable industry.
Climate change, supply-chain challenges and global fuel shortages are creating real strains for our stores and restaurants, and families are struggling with food prices. Farming in U.S. waters offers a solution. Our federal lawmakers should act to make it happen.
Tony Dal Ponte, Portland
Dal Ponte is vice president of legal and public affairs at Pacific Seafood.